The invention relates to a device for removing the anus of slaughtered animals, which device comprises:
a cutting device for cutting out the anus of a slaughtered animal transported by the transporting means, which cutting device comprises:
a displaceable carriage; and
a rotatably drivable and axially displaceable, substantially cylindrical blade carried by this carriage and having a leading cutting edge and a blunt locating pin placed coaxially with this blade,
wherein the centre line of the blade during removal of an anus is substantially stationary relative to the slaughtered animal being processed.
Such a device is disclosed in the following prior art.
NL-A-7606104 relates to a device wherein the carriage can swing in a vertical plane.
FR-A-2 640 465 likewise relates to a device wherein the carriage can perform a swinging movement relative to a fixed pivot line.
Both cited publications relate to a technique wherein the carriage can perform a horizontal displacement and can perform a swinging movement in the vertical plane relative to a subsequently selected new horizontal position. Once a desired position is reached the rotatably driven cylindrical blade is displaced forward along its centre line to cut out the anus.
The art according to both mentioned publications is found to provide an insufficiently accurate positioning, wherein "misses" occur regularly. Such an error has the consequence that contamination of usable meat of the slaughtered animal can arise or that usable meat is cut away by the cutting device, while it is possible that the anus for removal is not completely cut out. The device for removing the anus can form part of a slaughter house line at a processing stage in which the rough pro-processing has . already taken place, such as killing the animal and removing hair and cleaning. The device therefore forms part of the so-called "clean" slaughter line, in which errors are not acceptable.
EP-A-0 259 939 relates to a device in which the slaughtered animal is mechanically positioned relative to the cutting device. A pivotal movement of the cutting device in a vertical plane also takes place here.
WO-A-89/10060 relates to a device wherein a pig is placed and held in a determined position, the cutting device is then moved vertically and can subsequently pivot in vertical plane round a pivot axis.